Out of Step for County-Wide Animal Control Program

For you folks that don't read The Courier on a regular basis, the following is a Readers Write Opinion letter this week.  Comments are encouraged.

Uncle Ted

Batter Up, Mr Mayor and County Commissioners, it’s time for another chat, I see.

The way the county animal control efforts are proceeding not only violate basic good business practices, it totally guts prior efforts that the full commission approved in 2008.

As noted in The Courier, after not meeting for months and months, the Mayor had two no notice secret meetings of the animal control committee, in early September.

I got wind that Mayor Davis was going to have another little no notice secret get together before the this months commission planning meeting and I made it a point to attend.

I had asked for a copy of their agenda at the mayor’s office, but was advised they had no published agenda. Go figure.

The fact is, I really don’t think they, the animal control committee, lead by Mayor Davis, of course, have any idea of what they are really doing and yet they want to draw up plans and specs and commit a half a million taxpayer dollars to do it, which in reality is only about 60% of the estimated average per square foot construction costs for their plan.

I wonder what they are not going to include!

But then again, as I have said in the past, if I really wanted to see organized confusion with very little organization at work in Hardin County, all I really had to do watch our Mayor and our Board of County Commissioner’s decision making process at work.

The latest public example of this organized confusion is, of course, their backward attempt to move forward with the long promised reasonable and effective county- wide Animal Control program.

Before we get into that, let’s take a little look back.

In 2008, after almost a year long public campaign to get the county involved in animal control, a silk stocking and text book designed task force was put together to develop a comprehensive plan for animal control in Hardin County that involved all of the stakeholders, including both the public and private sectors.

It took months of research, meetings, more research and more meetings, and finally the plan development.

I think I know why Mayor Davis doesn’t like to let the public know when he plans on getting together with one of his committees to officially rubber stamp his efforts.

Watching Mayor Davis try to organize or re-plan an Animal Control Program for Hardin County reminds me of a sea-story they tell in boot camp.

It goes something like this.

Proud momma and daddy were going all the way up to Great Lakes, Illinois to watch their son graduate from boot camp.

He had left Savannah almost 3 months earlier and Maw and Paw just couldn’t hardly wait to see him.

Young Kev had written them several times over the months and said that he really liked the marching with his friends part of the up coming ceremonies and that he had gotten real good at it.

Well, the time comes when young Kev and his 100 or so fellow recruits came by the reviewing stands and all could hear momma in a really loud prideful voice say, "Look Paw, there’s our Kev and wouldn’t you know it, he is the only one in step."

Strike One - Out of step, completely, with the comprehensive plans developed by the task force and approved by the county commission in 2008. Note: Approved by the full commission but vetoed by the budget committee. Yah, I know, that is a little backward, but this is Hardin County, you know?

Strike Two - Out of step with any experienced local, regional or national groups on the development process for a reasonable animal control program and facility. One of the golden rule lessons that has been learned by others is: Good business practice - Plan your work and work your plan and public animal control programs - Plan and define the animal control program BEFORE you design the facility.

Strike Three - Out of step with the budget for building costs of any national recognized average estimates.

Example - The total budgeted funds will only fund about 60% of the industry recognized estimated per square foot cost of developing or constructing a similar sized facility. What is going to be left out?

Strike Four (Just for good measure) - Out of step with the recognized need for a professional approach to facility planning and design by having the mayor and a local land surveyor develop the plans for this specialized building.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) strongly recommends that local architects hired to build a new shelter consult with an architect experienced in successful shelter design.

We don’t even have an architect, let alone an experienced architect, we have a land surveyor, as best I can tell.

Experiences across the country has taught that the pre-construction planning phase is absolutely crucial to building a good animal shelter. The HSUS advises animal care and control agencies to spend as much time as necessary to identify their needs and those of their communities before planning a new facility.

The experts say that doing so will help achieve the objective of providing a humane, secure environment for animals and avoid costly errors in the process. The 2008 task force did that for the county, but that business approach was rejected. Go figure.

It should be pointed out, I guess, that on the Best Friends Society’s list of "Biggest Mistakes Made by Groups Building New Shelters," so far Mayor Davis and his animal control committee’s program has got the top three or four mistakes nailed.

Makes one wonder what they have been doing for the last three years, don’t it.

I find the comments in last weeks’ Courier need another viewpoint.

Like Mayor Davis throwing in the towel as far as reaching an agreement with Savannah to operate a joint animal shelter, for example, coupled with the comment about Savannah officials rejecting the county’s "bona fide" offer to pay half the expenses of a combined operation.

Why should Savannah have to pay anything extra for county-wide services that are suppose to be for the benefit of all county citizens? The Savannah citizens have duel citizenship, so to speak, of Hardin County, first, and also the City of Savannah, by choice.

That would be like saying, about 70% of the county population live outside Savannah, so a bona fide offer would be for Savannah citizens to pay, first, 50% of the operating expenses with their city tax dollars while paying another 15% of the county’s 50% with their county tax dollars.

Mr. Mayor, records show that the county accounted for over 70% of the 2,500 to 3,000 animals that passed thru during the last year of combined operation of the shelter and in your mind, agreeing to pay for 50% of the operating expenses, and nothing else, is a bona fide offer? Give me a break.

All this after recognizing, in 2008, that the program had to be a county wide effort with Savannah making a voluntary contribution for an enhanced level of services with-in the city limits.

That offer was on the table in 2008. It is not there now because Savannah has moved on after being rejected by the county. What did you expect them to do? Wait on the county, again?

As to Commissioner Berry’s observation that it is impossible to persuade the county commission to help fund the city proposed sportsplex project as city officials wanted in exchange for a cooperative animal shelter agreement.

I don’t remember it ever coming before the commission for discussion or debate but he may be right.

The commissioners can not seem to get their arms around the concept of inter-local government projects and the fact that county citizens account for about 70% usage of the city’s parks and recreational facilities, at no cost to the county taxpayers.

Ted G. Cook
Hardin County, Tennessee

Hardin County Animal Services Update

Suprise, Surprise -- There Are No Surprises for Hardin County Animal Services

In last weeks' politically correct Courier article about the City of Savannah moving forward with major improvements to their bare-bones Animal Control Department operations, they note that ‘The issue [animal control service] appears to have been dropped in recent month or at least put on the back burner by the county commission.’

Well, with their slash and burn actions earlier this year, the county commission has done all the damage they can on the issue. The Animal Services Department, as designed by the County Commission, has been in the hands of Mayor Davis, at least since the first of July this year.

Surprise, surprise –– there are no surprises when it comes to Hardin County Animal Services. As it has been over the last 4 years, it has been and is a sham and window-dressing.

For at least the last four years, the county commission has only approved token funds in the budget for 'animal control' in order for the commissioners to be able to tell the citizens that "we have animal control in Hardin County." But, the fact is, not the first penny has been spent over the last 4 years, by the county, to remove a stray or dangerous animals from the community or to operate even a minimal animal control program, let alone a modern one .

While it is true that the county commissioners approved a budget, in June of this year, that doubled last years funding for an animal services department and have purchased a pick-up to haul it around in, the Mayor, under whose office the department is suppose to operate, has taken no action to actually stand up or operate any department or programs.

In fact, Mayor Davis has only given lip service to any progress. The mayor has been quoted in past articles in the Courier as saying that there is progress ‘going on behind the scenes.’ Say what?

First I would point out that ‘behind the scenes’ and an open government, also know as ‘the Sunshine Laws’ can never be balanced in a representative democracy.

But then again the concerned commissioners that I have talked to don’t seem to know what, if any, progress is being made. This ‘progress’ must be way ‘behind the scene’ if even the commissioners themselves don’t know what it is.

Even after the under-handed rejection of the work of the joint task force they called The Hardin County Animal Control Committee, the mayor and some of the commissioners, in their dreams, are still holding out hope that the some concerned citizens and/or the City of Savannah will come to the rescue of the county, again, and maybe even do their job for them and pay for it.

Been there, done that and got slapped down –– I don’t think the folks who put almost a years worth of work in developing an outline for a minimal service program for the county, want any more of that. It’s past time for Mayor Davis and the County Commission to wake up and do their own jobs.

What ever happened to our founding fathers concept of ‘The Lord Helps Them That Helps Themselves?’

The Mayor has not even ran an ad for anyone to work in the department, let alone hired anyone and the county commissioners have not seen fit to addressed the issue at any of their meetings. I suspect that is because when they try to budget the approved funds into an operating budget, the budgeted funds won’t even cover their ‘dog catcher’ version of animal control.

At least one of the commissioners has recently been quoted as saying that, ‘maybe if we don’t do anything’, (as they have done in the past) ‘the problem will go away or the citizens will get tired of fussing about it.’ Dream on commissioner!!

To be fair and balanced, the only real improvement, if you went to call it that, has been in the Sheriff’s Department. Despite having no support from the mayor’s office, in the form an animal control officer, program or facility, the Sheriff has been more receptive to enforcing the at-large statutes, when property damage has occurred, and has actually had his deputies present aggravated animal cruelty cases to the district attorney’s office for prosecution.

Whether the district attorney can actually succeed in prosecuting the cases may well be another story, but the Sheriff’s Department seems to have taken more of the complaints of the citizens seriously and acted upon more of them. Maybe Sheriff Davidson recognizes, as the county’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer, that these are laws on the books and they must be enforced, even if our County Government doesn’t have any rabies/animal control programs.

After four months of this current sham and lip service, let us take the ball back in the court of the citizens, only this time we should not stop demanding that our county government do something positive about a rabies/animal control program until they actually prove to us that they are serious about resolving the problems associated with not having this vital safety and welfare service in place for the benefit of the citizens.

We all know, and so should they, that unless sufficient resources are put into the problem, which must of course must include some kind of shelter, the problem will continue to exist. This sham and window-dressing on the part of the county commission and continued lip service by Mayor Davis must stop and positive progress must be made, sooner rather than later.

It is time for the responsible citizens to get back to work and make it happen this time, for real, with the realization that, based on their past history, our local government is not going to do it themselves in any meaningful way, unless the citizens take some action to put it back on the front burner and turn up the heat to high, again.

Let the phones calls, letters and personal contacts begin, again.

If the mayor and commissioners don’t think that the stray animals problems are a real problem, they should know that a large number of discontented concerned responsible citizens are. In fact, if they like their jobs, these type of folks can become a major problem for their future employment.

To paraphrase our Declaration of Independence - If something is wrong in our government, those that can do something about it, have a duty and responsibility to do it.

The citizens of Hardin County, which include the citizens of Savannah and the other municipalities, can and therefore have a duty and responsibility to do something about the lack of real concern by the mayor and county commission about the animal welfare problems in the county.

Let’s roll! Bring your lunch and plan on staying until the job is done right this time around.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Uncle Ted

To Be or Not To Be - Readers Write 3/27 - The Courier

In last week’s Courier, I was quoted as saying that I was "sorely disappointed" in the outcome of the recent Board of Commissioners monthly meeting. Well, duh!

"Sorely Disappointed" may have been the politically correct way of expressing it , but, it does not even come close to expressing my frustration with some of our county commissioners.

What really ticks me off is their naivete in the political bushwhacking of a year or so’s worth of sincere effort by some dedicated folks to address the long neglected animal welfare problems of Hardin County, in a meaningful and progressive way.

You want to talk about taking three steps forward and then getting knocked back, you should be trying to keep up with the proposed development of animal welfare in Hardin County, especially after the March meeting of the Hardin County Board of Commissioners.

It is said that "a thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed." That has never been so true as it has with the way about half of our county commissioners have handled the development of even a minimal animal control program for Hardin County. A lot of rhetorical words and no action.

Talk about a dysfunctional and confusing organization. There have been several times over the last few years when the chairman of the county commission (Mayor Davis) has felt it was necessary to advise me that the Thursday night planning meeting was the time to discuss the pros or cons of the business on the agenda, and the Monday night regular meeting was the time to vote or take whatever action they were going to take. He usually backs it up with a two minute egg timer.

I must have gone through a time warp. The matter before the commission this month was for discussion and possible action on the unanimous recommendation of the Animal Control Committee that a full-time director of animal services be hired to work with the committee to create a working, affordable program.

On Thursday night there was not the first comment from any of the commissioners, except Commissioner Bryant’s inquiry as to whether or not they were going to vote on it tonight. I’m not sure of the reasoning behind the question, but you would have thought that after all this time Commissioner Bryant would know that the voting takes place on Monday, not at the planning meeting on Thursday.

A little history might be in order. If you will remember, after several of negative ads and Readers Writes articles in The Courier last year, animal control was finally put on the commission’s agenda in July with the budgeting of $50,000 and appointment of a Hardin County Animal Control Committee, with representation from both the public and private sectors.

The whole purpose of having representation from both the public and private sector was to remove politics from the equation and come up with the best people and affordable programs possible to establish a meaningful and functional animal welfare operation in Hardin County.

Guess what? It didn’t work.

This committee is composed of the county mayor and three members of the Hardin County Commission, three members representing the City of Savannah, and one member from the Hardin County Health Department, Horse Creek Wildlife and Animal Sanctuary and the Hardin Metro SPCA.

Without going into a lot of details of their recommendations here, suffice it to say, the end result was a lengthy comprehensive report, including executive reviews of extensive reference material that presented the obvious results.

That obvious goal was to change the behaviors of our residents by encouraging the community, including our local governments, to abide by or obey state law, to care properly for its animals and spay and neutering is the answer to animal control .

Little did they know, or didn’t want to say, that changing the behavior of some of our county commissioners by separating politics from progress was also going to be critical. The commissioners all took an oath of office to uphold the laws of the state of Tennessee, but some of them have their own personal agenda instead of the citizens’ agenda.

It is sad to say, but, several of the commissioners admitted at, or after, the December meeting that they had not even read the report and voted against it because they didn’t understand it.

Commissioner Stacey Stricklin and Commissioner Wally Hamilton, who supported the committee’s recommendation to put a director of animal services in place to develop a program at the commission meeting in December, seem to have come out of a coma to become a pot-hole obstacle in getting an effective animal services department started in Hardin County, sooner rather than later.

Commissioner Stricklin, along with Commissioner Jerrolds and others, now contend it is inappropriate to hire a director without already having a fully designated animal control plan in place. That’s a complete 180 on the chicken or the egg question.

When asked by one of the other commissioners, just who on the county commission is supposed to put the animal control plan together, Commissioner Stricklin, who voted to establish the Animal Control Committee, replied, "the Budget Committee, I guess." Now that is a scary thought. This is the same committee that bushwhacked the last animal control efforts by the county. Their solution would probably be, "Here is $10 dollars, go make it work or get the private citizens to pay for it."

Commissioner "Get-A-Shotgun Animal Control" Cagle, who opposes the use of any county funds for any animal control program, seems to think that animal control should be funded by the community "holding fund-raisers and be operated by volunteers, like the Hardin County Fire Department does." He must have forgotten that the Hardin County Fire Department has a full time fire chief (director) and support staff. I think that is what one would call forced reasoning.

Then you have Commissioners "Jam-Up" Bryant and Jerrolds who still seem to have an issue with consolidating the schools in their district and have assumed the roles of obstructionists, even though they both profess their concern for stray animals and animal welfare.

Commissioner Jimmy G. Grisham professes that there are no animal problems in District 5, which is the Morris Chapel area. This could be because some of his family members are in the animal breeding business and he fears the suggested registration and licencing of breeders of dogs—or that he wouldn’t recognize an animal problem if a rabid stray was chewing on his leg.

After all was said and done, although nine of the commissioners present voted against the recommendation of the Animal Control Committee nominee, five of the same commissioners voted against Commissioner Howard’s nominee, too.

If you would like to see the complete recap of the commissioners’ vote, you can find it at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheNewSavannahJournal/. I think you will find it, as Mr. Pickard noted, "at best a fiasco."

Speaking of Mr. Pickard—a private citizen with a deep seated passion for animal welfare in Hardin County, who puts his money where his mouth is—has paid for 6,573 animals, as of the end of February, to be spayed or neutered for the citizens of Hardin County.

Can you imagine the animal population of Hardin County if Mr. and Mrs Pickard, through Horse Creek Wildlife and Animal Sanctuary, had not volunteered this help to the citizens of Hardin County? Especially since low cost spay and neutering is one of the recognized essential programs in any effective public animal control program by our local government.

In closing, I would challenge all those citizens who have taken advantage of Mr. and Mrs. Pickard’s generosity, or have an appreciation of their effort, to step out of the shadows and contact your county commissioner to demand that an Animal Services Department be established and fully funded by Hardin County government, sooner rather than later.

Respectfully Submitted for Your Consideration.

Uncle Ted

The County Commissioners Do It Again.

From Page 1 of the Courier - March 20, 2008 - RON SCHAMING--News Editor -

Headline - Animal control proposal falls apart - Privately funded spay-neuter program canceled in frustration

A plan to establish an animal control department self-destructed Monday as members of the Hardin County Commission balked at the hiring of a director.

Commissioners had earlier agreed to advertise the job, with an expectation from an appointed study committee that once the post was filled, the director would work with the committee to create a working, affordable program. That proposed program would then be presented to the full commission for consideration and funding in the coming fiscal year.

It all fell apart, however, when insufficient votes materialized to hire either the study committee’s handpicked recommendation, former Florida police sergeant Kevin Skoffic, or Commissioner Charles Howard’s nominee with local roots, Debby Blackwelder.

With two of the 20 members absent and 10 votes needed, Blackwelder received four and Skoffic nine.

The failure prompted Hardin County’s most notable animal protection philanthropist, Ron Pickard of Horse Creek Wildlife Sanctuary and Animal Shelter, to suspend its free county-wide spay and neuter program, "Control Animal Population," or CAP, effective April 1.

"The whole thing, from my perspective, was that it was at best a fiasco," Pickard said Tuesday afternoon in a telephone interview from Florida. "Last night, a number of commissioners tried to play politics with it."

Pickard, who serves on the animal control study committee, said Horse Creek has spent $375,000 on CAP since its inception six years ago, and credits the program with slowly reducing the number of unwanted cats and dogs in Hardin County.

"I just can’t sit there every month and write a check knowing how these (commissioners) think," he said.

Commissioner and animal control committee member Adam Coleman’s nomination of Skoffic, who now lives in Hardin County and works in retail, ran into rough water when Commissioner Stacey Stricklin attempted to table the matter but withdrew his motion after discussion.

Stricklin, along with Commissioner Mike Jerrolds, contended it was inappropriate to hire a director without already having a fully designed animal control plan in place.

"The purpose of hiring a director is to set that direction," Coleman answered.

Months ago, commissioners were given a thick, detailed notebook compiled by the animal control committee addressing issues involved in implementing an animal control program. The estimated first-year price tag was $175,000.

Pickard contends that handbook was the general animal control plan.

"They either can’t read or didn’t read it," he bristled.

Ted Cook, interim director for the Hardin-Metro Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said he was "sorely disappointed" in the outcome of Monday’s meeting.

"Whoever is going to be running the department is the best person to develop it" with the county animal control committee, he said.

But, "we’re not going to give up. We’ve still got to have animal welfare," he said.

Tuesday, Mayor Kevin Davis said there is no doubt in his mind that county residents require animal control services. He predicts the setback does not spell the death of discussion on the issue.

In accordance with the objections of the dissenting commissioners, he said the new immediate goal is to work to develop a concrete, fully detailed animal program for consideration, including written authorization to use the Savannah Animal Control Department’s facilities. Only after that is accomplished will hiring a director be on the agenda.

The mayor said he now hopes to have the issues resolved in time to be included in the 2008-09 budget, which starts July 1. Last week, he hoped to have an operational animal control program in place by mid-April.

End of Article

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Uncle Ted

"Minimal" Animal Control - Mayor says.

Of course this position of Mayor Davis is 180 degree different than that of the Animal Control Committee, which he chairs. Well, duh!!

And then you got this "If all goes according to plan" crap. There isn't a plan, yet and April is a dream.

For you folks who don't read the Courier 3/13/08;
Headline - Page 1 - County could get 'minimal' animal control

If you think Hardin County has been going to the dogs, some relief may be on the way.

Monday, the Hardin County Commission meets to consider hiring a director for a planned Animal Services Department. If all goes According to plan, county residents should have someone to call upon for help with animal control problems by mid-April, says Hardin County Mayor Kevin Davis.

The city of Savannah currently operates its own animal control department. Davis said the county expects to use the city’s animal shelter at least initially, but it was unclear Tuesday what cooperative arrangements might be in the works between the two local governments.

Davis said he envisions a "minimal" animal control program in the county, one that allows county residents to leave unwanted dogs and cats at the shelter.

"I don’t think the people should be scared" there will be a dog tax or that dog catchers will be coming into residents’ yards and picking up pets off front porches, he said.

Hardin countians can, however, expect that their needs regarding the capture of vicious dogs will be met, and that there will be an educational aspect focusing on the benefits of taking advantage of existing free or low-cost spay and neuter programs, he said.

"We’re not going to be Horse Creek Wildlife and Animal Sanctuary," he said, referring to a private, 2,000 acre facility on Tenn. 69-S in Hardin County.

A major goal of Horse Creek is to provide shelter, basic medical care, and adoption services for abandoned and abused domestic animals.

Horse Creek is not designed to accept animals from the public.

The goal is to work with the local animal shelter to ensure the best use of available facilities for animals in Hardin County. Spay and neuter programs, and training of animals to make them good pets are foremost in Horse Creek’s plans, the organization’s website states.

Davis said around 25 people applied for the new Animal Services Department director job. A committee comprised of the mayor, County Commissioner Emery White, Savannah City Commissioner Bob Shutt and Ron Pickard of Horse Creek Wildlife narrowed down the field of candidates, conducted interviews and will make a hiring recommendation to the county commission.

In other business at the 6:30 p.m. public meeting at the Hardin County Courthouse, commissioners will consider applying for a grant to benefit the county fire department, discuss changing the speed limit on Old Road from 55 mph to 25 mph, and make appointments to the Sheriff’s Civil Service Board and the Tennessee River Resort District Advisory Committee.

Job Opening for Director of Animal Service in Hardin County

The following ad was hidden in The Courier this week-

NOTICE OF JOB OPENING

HARDIN COUNTY DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES

Hardin County is now accepting applications fro the position of Director of Animal Services. Applications and position qualifications may be obtained in the office of Hardin County Mayor Kevin Davis, 465 Mail Street, Savannah, TN. Applications must be accompanied by a resume and will be accepted in the County Mayor’s Office until 4:30 p.m. on February 1*, 2008.

*(Changed to February 8, 2008 after it was pointed out that the 1st of February was one day after the last scheduled Courier Ad.)

Hardin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The following "position qualifications" were obtained from the Mayor’s Office -

DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES
JOB QUALIFICATIONS

Absolute Requirements:

High school diploma
Supervisory experience in animal control necessary
Minimum of one year of work experience involving public contact
Good oral and written communication skills
Ability to plan and organize
Computer literate
Valid driver’s license
Background search permits deputizing and bonding
Compassion for animals

Preferred Requirements:

Advanced education
Certified in euthanasia
Criminal scene and cruelty investigation

As a matter of information, if you should contact the Mayor’s Office for a copy of a Job Description for this Director of Animal Services you will find that their isn’t one.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Uncle Ted

Hardin Metro SPCA - Year in Review 2007

Year (Actually 8 Months) in Review - 2007

During the last eight months, Hardin Metro SPCA, Inc. was brought to life by an excellent eight (8) member Board of Directors and a group of committed officers, by completing and approving a comprehensive three to five year business development plan.

Early on the group applied for, qualified for, and received all of their required state and federal permits and approvals to be a Tennessee For-Public Benefit, Non-Profit Corporation and a IRS 501(c)(3) public charity. They close the year with having made very good progress in all of their first year goals and money in the bank, from donations and grants, to start 2008.

The three major goals for 2007 were, 1.) to complete all the required paperwork for approval as 501(c)(3) with the IRS and develop and fund a 3-5 year model business plan; 2.) stand up the Animal Cruelty Investigation mission with law enforcement and the Courts; and 3.) become, and be, reliable and effective spokespersons for humane animal welfare in Hardin County, in both the public and private sectors.

Animal Cruelty Investigations

Animal cruelty investigations and prosecutions have had a busy eight months. They nailed the alleged puppy chunker and several others individuals, while counseling numerous irresponsible pet owners, who were borderline negligent.

Our folks have been involved with investigations of alleged puppy-mills operations and provided services to several law enforcement agencies and groups, on a local, state and federal level. The cruelty investigation personnel and their efforts have received high marks for their knowledge, professionalism, and thoroughness in pursuing their cases and in their dealings with the Sheriff's Department, the District Attorney’s Office, and the General Sessions Court.

Every case that has been submitted to the courts has either been admitted to or bound over to the grand jury. Four cases are currently pending with Grand Jury, but to date their conviction or confession rate is 100%. Several animals have made the long trip through the system, from seizer through vetting and fostering to adoption, and their forever homes, or to rescue groups around the region and one as far away as New York.

Reliable and Effective Spokespersons

HMSPCA and it’s pro-active Board Members have been very reliable and effective spokespersons for animal welfare in the County, having successfully lobbied for start-up funds in the current county budget and participated with the Hardin County Animal Control Committee in the planning and presentation of a study/review for an Animal Services Department and facility for Hardin County Government, parts of which have already been acted on by the Board of County Commissioners.

It is being said, in quiet voices in the community, that the active participation of HMSPCA and it's respected Officers and Board Members have accomplished, with our local government and community, in six months what would, and normally does, take a year and a half to two year to get accompished by a newly formed non-profit.

What they are learning is, it’s not by accident. HMSPCA is not your normal newly formed non-profit. The difference begins with who they really are. Individually, each Board Member and Officer contribute a required, yet different, set of professional skills and expertise to the overall effort.

• 
  From the business management sector, they have the services of Mr. J. Stanley Shaw, MBA and Purchasing Agent for PCA (aka the paper mill), to serve as President.
• 
  From the finance sector, they have the services of Mr. Chris Jerrolds, CPA, President of Central Bank and former City Commissioner of Savannah, TN, to serve as Treasurer.
• 
  For the Animal Welfare expertise, they have Ms. Susan Brown, a long time respected advocate for animal rights and welfare management in the mid-south region.
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  From the media sector, they have the services of Mr. Brad Silliman, a former writer at the Courier and much respected for the quality of his work. In addition, they have the services of Mr. Jim Thompson, Editor of The Courier, as a member/advisor.
• 
  From the legal community, they have had the services of Mr. Vance Dennis, Attorney at Law and former County Attorney for a small rural Tennessee County.
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  From the veterinarian service sector, they have the expertise of Dr. Don Edwards, Veterinarian, who also works closely with the cruelty investigators.
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  For their Animal Cruelty Investigation Mission, to head up the program, they have Ms. Jerrilove Crockett and her husband, Mr. Peter Westrick, as their Chief Investigator, both retired San Diego police officers, one provides field services training expertise and the other investigations and prosecutions.
• 
  For their membership and fund-raising programs, they have Ms. Peggy Seaton of Seaton Boat Sales in Pickwick and her volunteers.
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  Last, but hopefully not least, for their day to day planning and organization efforts, they have Mr. Ted G. Cook, The Maverick Entrepreneur and a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy with a ‘won’t quit’, community activist, reputation, to serve as their Interim Executive Director.

Develop and Fund a 3-5 year Model Business Plan

HMSPCA applied for, qualified for, and receive a Community Assistance Grant from the State of Tennessee to purchase necessary operational equipment for their Cruelty Investigations mission. That kinda answers the question, do they know how to get grants?

HMSPCA put on it’s first fund-raiser/membership event at Victorian Christmas with the Chamber of Commerce, selling the first sweat shirts and signed up several new members, one being a current member of the Hardin County Board of Commissioners. That kinda answers the question, do they know how to do fund-raisers?

In addition to the grant for operational equipment, HMSPCA was the beneficiary of a significant foundation donation to establish a spay/neuter & vetting fund and another individually significant donation to establishing a World Wide Web presence and to purchase donation boxes for area businesses fund-raising efforts.

HMSPCA closes the year with thirty-one (31) dues paying and donating members. In addition, they have received cash donations from 4 non-members and a foundation and have also received significant in-kind contributions and support from several business, including The Courier, Rapid-Print, Wal-Mart, and the Hardin County Veterinary Hospital.

All in all, it's been a good eight months. Having said that, the planning is already well underway for 2008, but in order to continue Saving Lives and Stopping Cruelty to best of their ability, they will need broad community support.

If your reading this, you can help by joining them in the fight to stop animal cruelty.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Hardin Metro SPCA, Inc.
December 2007

hmspca@charter.net

Commissioners Who Voted Against Animal Control Program

At the County Commissioner's meeting last Monday night, the Commissioners listed below voted against taking the first step in establishing a Animal Care and Control program in Hardin County, by voting against recruiting and hiring a Director of the proposed Animal Services Department, as recommended by the Animal Control Committee.

If you get a chance, and any of the folks represent your District, would you please help me find out the reasoning behind their vote by calling or contacting them over the next few days and let me know the results.

They made no comments about their vote at the meeting except for Commissioner Jenkins who expressed his position that he thought the public needed to have an opportunity to comment on the overall plan that had been submitted by the Committee even though the point was made that the overall plan was not before the Commission for approval or disapproval, at this time.

Commissioner Tracy Grisham, Chief of Police for Crump, did comment, after the meeting, that he didn’t understand what was being voted on and never votes for anything he doesn’t understand. There was a third option called, I pass.

Your help in contacting these folks, as soon as possible, would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ted



Commissioner / Home Phone Number /District

• Roger Jenkins / 731-689-3829 / Three - Counce/Southside
• 
  Tracey Grisham / 731-632-0288 / Four - Shiloh/Crump
• 
  Jimmy G. Grisham /731-687-0154 / Five - Saltillo/Morris Chap
• 
  Nickie L. Cagle / 731-925-8022 / Six - Cerro Gordo/Rhodes/Olive Hill
• 
  Gene Bryant / 731-925-2092 / Seven - Whites/Walnut Grove
• 
  Mike Jerrolds / 731-925-2747 / Seven - Whites/Walnut Grove
• 
  Tom Haggard / 731-925-5720 / Nine - Courthouse

$2,500.00 Donation to Hardin Metro SPCA

Hardin Metro SPCA has received a $2,500.00 donation designated for 'Spay/Neuter and Veterinary Care' from Pete H. Brown and Mildred F. Brown Foundation, Inc., with an acknowledgment that "Your important work in protecting Hardin County animals is very much appreciated."

As you may know, as a 501(c)(3) Corporation, HMSPCA is not eligible for the Horse Creek CAP program, for dogs, and we have had to fund the spay/neutering and veterinary care of the animal we rescue and process for adoption with our limited general/operating funds.

This generous donation will not only allow us to establish a Spay/Neuter Fund, but will also allow us to apply for other federal, state and other non-profit grants, that require such specific and designated Spay/Neuter Fund, to supplement our efforts to rescue and adopt the animals, dogs and cats, we process in our animal cruelty investigations program.

An acknowledgment and appreciation letter will be prepared and sent to the Foundation and it’s Trustees. FYI the Trustees for Pete H. Brown and Mildred F. Brown Foundation, Inc. are: Jack L. Adams; J. Matthew Brown; Michael N. Brown; and our own Vice-President and Board Member, Susan A. Brown.

Thank you, would be an understatement.

Respectfully submitted,
Ted

Time To Stand Up

For you folks who don't get The Courier, the following is my Reader's Write this week.

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in our power. If we have made mistakes, if we have tried and failed again and again, there is always another chance for us. We may have a fresh start any moment we choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down. (Mary Pickford (1893-1979))

After almost a year of hard work, months of debates and hours of discussions, the long awaited public safety and welfare issues of the over-population of stray animals and animal control in the community will be on the Board of County Commissions’ planning session agenda on December 13th, to begin the next meaningful discussion, and the regular meeting agenda on December 17th for action, on a solution to the problems associated with animal control, stray animals and irresponsible pet ownership in Hardin County.

This is no longer just a problem, it is a dilemma and headed for being a tragedy. To our local government, I would say, you now have the opportunity to do something, either lead or follow!!!!! To the pet owners of Hardin County, I would say, if you are going to have pets, your going to have to be responsible pet owners!!!!

To the non-pet owners, I would say, be responsible citizens and show your support for immediate action on this public safety and welfare issue. The next person to have a problem with, or be bitten by, that at-large or stray animal, could be you or yours!!!

For all of you folks who have needed, wanted or demanded something be done about this issue over the last several years, I would say to you, now is the time to get off of your couches, show up at 6:30 pm on Thursday, December 13th and Monday December 17th, to show your individual support, and our collective community support, for immediate, if not sooner, action on this dilemma.

I look forward to a standing room only group of concerned citizens on both nights. As most of you may know, I can and have stood up for my family for some time now, but we really need, want and gotta have you show up and stand up for yourselves, for us and to demonstrate broad community support.

I know we are all busy this time of year but this is a very important step for our collective futures. Hope to see you there.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,

Ted G. Cook
Savannah, TN

Charge Filed Over Puppy Thrown From Pickup

Front Page article in The Courier - 8/23/2007 - Reprinted without permission

Three month SPCA investigation results in felony prosecution for animal cruelty

A Hardin County man has been arrested on a felony animal cruelty charge for allegedly hurling a puppy from a speeding vehicle in front of the Savannah Animal Shelter in May.

The dog sustained mortal injuries and was later euthanized by a veterinarian.

Jimmy Vance Hill, 32, of 60 Pinson Way, was arrested by sheriff’’s deputies and jailed Aug. 18 on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty. He was subsequently released on $5,000 bond.

Contacted by the Courier on Tuesday, Hill maintained he is innocent and threatened to sue his accusers for defamation.

"I’’m angry that my name has been brought up in this. I can prove where I was that day," said Hill. "I’’m looking forward to getting this over with and getting my name cleared."

The alleged crime is a Class E felony punishable by one to six years imprisonment and a fine of up to $3,000.

Hill’’s arrest followed a three-month investigation by the Hardin-Metro Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HMSPCA).

The animal protection organization said evidence in the case includes sworn statements by several witnesses including individuals close to the suspect.

Evidence was collected by HMSPCA investigators Jerrilove Crockett and Peter Westrick and turned over to the district attorney.

Less than a week after the incident, Horse Creek Wildlife Refuge and Animal Sanctuary offered a $5,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. Rapid Print of Savannah donated hundreds of posters——advertising the reward——which were distributed throughout the county by HMSPCA members and volunteers.

The case began May 21.

Four witnesses, including a 4-year-old child standing in front of the Savannah Animal Shelter on Airport Road said they saw a white puppy thrown from a red, late-model Ford pickup truck speeding by the facility.

Mary Davis, who operates Tennessee River Rescues, said the puppy bounced off the pavement and began "screaming."

Davis speculated at the time that the occupants of the truck lived outside the city and planned to leave the dog on shelter property. When they saw people outside the facility, she surmised, they tossed the puppy out the window and sped off.

"The only thing that links me to this scene is I have an F-150 pickup. I never drive it," Hill contends.

He said also that he believes witness descriptions have changed during the course of the investigation, and that the Savannah Animal Shelter even allowed him to adopt a dog after the incident.

"It kind of upsets me that someone would do that to a puppy," Hill said. "I love animals. I’’ve got more than I know what to do with, and they get good care."

Hardin County government ceased funding its portion of animal control costs shared with the city of Savannah in 2005.

One fiscal crisis facing commissioners then was a federal court case which ultimately forced the county to build a new jail. Some elected officials have also mentioned a "personality conflict" between a former city manager and county officials.

Citing the lost funding, the city Animal Control Department and Animal Shelter now turn away county residents with animal welfare problems.

A city worker at the shelter said this has resulted in people dumping unwanted pets at the facility after hours and sometimes tossing them over the fence, often causing injury.

Ted Cook estimates the county’’s population of unwanted dogs and cats has grown to "at least 10,000 animals" in the last two years based on city animal control data. He calls the problem a "public health crisis" that poses dangers of rabies and animal attacks on humans, pets and livestock.

Cook is executive director of Hardin-Metro SPCA, which was formed earlier this year by local residents to promote animal welfare issues. Stanley Shaw is president of the group whose board of directors includes a veterinarian, a banker, an attorney and animal welfare advocates.

Crockett and Westrick, the organization’’s animal control investigators and members of the board, are both retired San Diego, Calif., police officers with extensive law enforcement experience.

In the wake of of HMSPCA lobbying and perhaps growing public concern, the Hardin County Commission earmarked $50,000 of the 2007-2008 budget for animal control. Commissioners have also appointed an animal control committee whose task is to develop a new animal control program.

Cook and HMSPCA members envision a program that includes a county animal control department with enforcement officers and a shelter. He said the program could be modeled after successes in other counties which use pet and breeder licensing and registration fees, along with public and private grants, for funding.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration

Ted

Hardin County Animal Control Committee

Phase I of motivating Hardin County government to return to animal control is now complete, thanks to the efforts of all the folks who have helped keep the animal situation here in the county front and center in the minds of the people and in The Courier for the last 6 months.

A special thanks is in order for the folks at The Courier for providing the continued exposure for the issue by putting out stories and article virtually every week and to Brad Silliman for his contributions of both paid ads and editorial articles. But we’re not done yet, by a long shot.

Now that the County Commission has approved the appointment of a Hardin County Animal Control Committee that has been charged to expedite the conceptual plans for the local governments role in moving forward with a comprehensive plan for animal management in the county we should see some significant progress over the next few months.

The members of the Animal Control Committee are as follows:

Representing the County - Commissioners White, McFalls and Coleman.
Representing the City of Savannah - Mayor Shutt, Mr. Lerry Arendall and a yet to be designated City Commissioner.
Representing Horse CreekWildlife Sanctuary and Animal Refuge - Mr. Ron Pickard.
Representing Hardin Metro SPCA - Mr. Chris Jerrolds
Representing the County Health Department/Veterinarians - Dr. Don Edwards, D.V.N.

Let's wish these folks God's speed and provide them with any assistance they may ask for or need.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,


Ted

Animal Control - The COURIER - May 31, 2007

Puppy thrown from speeding pickup was one man’s solution
Ron Schaming - New Editor - The COURIER - May 31, 2007 pg-1

Standing in front of the Savannah Animal Shelter, Roy Franks and Mary Davis watched in horror as the puppy was tossed from the passenger window of the speeding red pickup truck.

"We had to put it down. We think it broke its back," said Franks, a worker at the city facility which serves Savannah residents exclusively. "I didn’t want to see him suffer no longer."

The puppy "just bounced off that pavement" and "looked like it was broke all to pieces," said Davis, who runs Tennessee River Rescues in Crump, a small private animal welfare operation.
"When it hit the ground," she said, "it just started screaming."

Davis said that if she "had a gun, I would have shot the truck. I’ve never had anything make me so mad in my life."

Davis said she suspects the perpetrators live outside Savannah and know the shelter would not take the dog so they just flung it to its death when they saw the group of people outside the door.

"That’s why we get so many thrown in the Wal-Mart parking lot. It’s in the city limits," she said.
Over the past several years, Hardin County scaled its animal control budget down to the point where there is now effectively no animal control service outside Savannah.

Franks agrees that many––perhaps most––of the dogs he sees at the shelter are from county residents.

"We don’t do nothing in the county because they have no animal control whatsoever," he said. So during the night, "people throw them over the fence and everything else. That’s inhumane."

"All that’s connected. Every bit of it," Davis declares. "I hope and pray that this will open someone’s eyes."

Franks said when he has to refuse to accept unwanted animals from someone who is not a citizen of Savannah, he advises they "take them to a vet and be put down."

He wants to see whoever cruelly threw the puppy from the truck prosecuted, but said he didn’t report the May 21 crime to local law enforcement.

"It wouldn’t have done no good," Franks believes. "They never would have found them."

[End of Article]

Organization Will Push For Animal Control

From page 1 of THE COURIER - 4/19/07

"A new Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals organization has formed in Hardin County.

"I believe there needs to be animal control in Hardin County," said Hardin Metro SPCA Inc. President Stanley Shaw.

Currently, the county has no organized animal control program. Previously, the county partnered with the city of Savannah to provide the service to county residents.

Disagreements regarding how much of the total cost each local government should carry prompted the county to effectively eliminate animal control services outside the city of Savannah.

The Hardin County Commission did budget $2,500 to dispatch "vicious" dogs, but according to county Budget Director Linda Franks, not a penny of that money has been spent more than 10 months into the fiscal year.

Officials for the fledgling effort say they hope to encourage the county commission to reinstitute animal control service for county residents.

"They promised this in the last election," said Shaw, who ran for county mayor. The city has "beared the brunt of this for years."

He said Hardin Metro SPCA does not intend to be "this self-appointed group to tell the county what to do. I want the county to have an opportunity to do what they’re going to do, and hopefully they’ll do a good job of it."

Savannah attorney Vance Dennis, a member of the organization’s board of directors and its legal counsel, said the message to be sent is, "We’re here to help."

Officers were elected at the April 2 organizational meeting held at Central Bank on Wayne Road.
Susan Brown, who has been active in animal protection issues for many years, was elected vice president. The treasurer is banker and former Savannah city commissioner Chris Jerrolds.

Brad Silliman, a former prison inmate counselor and past news reporter at The Courier, was elected secretary. Silliman was previously married to the late local prominent animal rights activist Patricia Tretheway.

Local veterinarian Don Edwards is also a member of the board.

The board named Ted Cook, who chartered the public benefit, nonprofit corporation, interim executive director."

Submitted for your consideration and comments.

Uncle Ted

Who Can Do Something About Animal Control In Hardin County Tennessee?

These are the folks that have the statutory authority to develop, fund and implement a comprehensive plan to comply with the Tennessee Anti-Rabies Law that is tied to the recommendations of the Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2007, published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV).

The recommendations in the compendium serve as the basis for animal rabies prevention and control programs throughout the United States and facilitate standardization of procedures among jurisdictions, thereby contributing to an effective national rabies-control program.

One of the essential elements, as defined by the compendium, is the removal of stray animals from the community. We need this in Hardin County.

Board of Commissioners by Voting District
(Check your voters registration card for your district)

District 1
(Armory/Olivet)
Mr. Gary Combs, 147 Somerset Loop, Savannah, TN 38382 - 731-925-8855
Mr. Fred McFalls, Jr., 380 English Road, Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-7092

District 2
(Nixon/Walkers)
Mr. Adam Coleman, 8645 Hwy 128, Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-2639
Mr. Charles Howard, 170 Parker Way, Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-8611

District 3
(Counce/Southside)
Mr. David Childers, 1425 Mayhall Road, Counce, TN 38326 - 731-689-5107
Mr. Roger L. Jenkins, 980 Preacher Dr., Counce, TN 38326 - 731- 689-3829

District 4
(Shiloh/Crump)
Mr. Tracey Grisham, 70 Pauline Rd., Adamsville, TN 38326 - 731-632-0288
Mr. James Whitehorn, St., 300 Hardy Road, Adamsville, TN 38310 - 731-682-4828

District 5
(Saltillo/Morris Chapel)
Mr. Jimmy G. Grisham, 405 C.W. White Dr., Morris Chapel, TN 38361 - 731-687-0154
Ms. Kathy Smith, 215 Ashley Rd., Saltillo, TN 38370 - 731-687-3625

District 6
(Cerro Gordo/Mt. Hermon/Olive Hill)
Mr. Ernie Bigbie, 22068 Hwy 64, Olive Hill, TN 38475 - 731-925-8209
Mr. Nickie L. Cagle, 10155 Clifton Road, Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-8022

District 7
(Whites/Walnut Grove)
Mr. Gene Bryant, 2420 Fox Hollow Lp., Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-2092
Mr. Mike Jerrolds, 120 Burnt Church Road, Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-2747

District 8
North (Fairgrounds)
Mr. Wally Hamilton, 3055 Cravens Road, Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-5708
Mr. Stacey Stricklin, 136 J. H. Winborn Ln., Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-3544

District 9
(Courthouse/Library)
Mr. Tom Haggard, 125 Riverside Dr., Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-5720
Mr. Emery White, 455 S. Pickwick St., Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-6240

District 10
(Fairground)
Mr. James S. Berry, Jr., 175 Patterson Rd., Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-4389
Mr. Mike Fowler, 185 Cagle Circle, Savannah, TN 38372 - 731-925-9117

Please call your commissioner and tell them you want the issue on the agenda as soon as possible. Hopefully the March 2007 agenda.

Respectfully requested,

Uncle Ted

How Many Are There?

Knowing how many animal are in our area can help plan for the future. Foundations, donors, and elected officials usually want see statistics and hard data supporting requests for funding.

One figure that often seem difficult to estimate, however, is the total number of owned animals in the community. The Humane Society of the United States’s recently published Disasters Planning Manual contains advise to help the animals in their area stand up and be counted.

They used the National Pet Owners Survey, conducted by The American Pet Products Manufactures Association - 2003 - 2004 as their source for the percentage of U.S. households owning a pet and the number of pets per household.

The formula by no means is exact; it is based on national averages and does not account for potential variables among regions, states and communities and does not attempt to account for stray animals.

According to the last census count there were an estimated 13,400 households in our community. For dogs, the formula is: 39% of the households own dogs and there are 1.6 dogs per households that have dogs. For cats, the formula is: 34% of the households own dogs and there are 2.2 cats per households that have cats.

When one does the math, one finds that there are an estimated 8,362 dogs and 10,023 cats that live in 13,700 households in Hardin County.

The really sad thing is, that of the 20,046 dogs and cats, that we can estimate, only 4,861 are legally vaccinated according to the Hardin County Health Department.

That would mean that only 24.2% of the estimated dogs and cats in Hardin County are legally vaccinated. That would mean that 75.8% are not. That would definitely be an "F" in responsible pet ownership.

One must remember that these figures do not account for animals that do not reside in a household environment, like stray dogs or feral cats.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration.

Ted

Local Governments Role in Animal Related Problems - Defined

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ROLE

Question: How Can City and County Administrators Most Effectively Respond to the Animal-related Problems in Their Communities?

Solution to such problems can range from basic animal control programs to progressive, integrated animal service programs built on comprehensive ordinances and programs that both create incentives for people to care for animals responsibly and penalize those who do not.

The best solutions modify general responses to take account of local needs, concerns, and resources. Each community, regardless of size, should have a program to handle animal-related complaints and problems.

Successful programs are often characterized by:

Local government support – both political and financial

A comprehensive, regularly updated animal control ordinance and the authority and ability to enforce it;

Policies to ensure that all animals adopted are sterilized Laws and programs that create incentives for citizens to have their pets sterilized, and adjunct programs to ensure that all pets owners have access to affordable sterilization services;

Adequate, well-maintained facilities and equipment;

Animal control officers and animal care staff professionally trained to quickly and humanely handle animals at minimum risk to personnel

Good working relationships with, and the general support of, local veterinarians, law enforcement, social services, and animal advocacy organizations; and

A proactive public education program

A good animal care and control program is a community responsibility and should be budgeted as any other program or service available to citizens.

It needs to go beyond the old-fashioned approach to animal control services, which consisted primarily of a dogcatcher and a pound. If the local government focuses only on operating a skeletal shelter program and catching and destroying dogs, animal problem will create constant headaches for local government officials.

Pet owners who resist animal control will oppose other pet owners, citizens without pets, parent-teachers associations, garden clubs, and other groups that want animal control.

Finally, poor animal control can become a local government liability it citizens seek redress for injury and damage caused by free-roaming animals.

The most common obstacle to establishing and effective animal care and control program – as it is to some degree for virtually all government programs – is the problem of funding. As a general rule, adequate funding of an animal care and control programs costs at least $5 to $6 per citizen annually. However, city and county officials are often tempted to strip down animal control programs to the point of ineffectiveness, or they insist that pet registration (licensing) and other fees pay for all or most of the program.

Local officials should recognize that this governmental responsibility is vital to public health and safety, and they should be proactive in their approach.

If the Commissioners says they don’t have the money, tell them that someday someone will sue for negligence as a result of an avoidable dangerous-dog attack or a rabies exposure. This could cost a whole lot more that a good animal control program that wold minimize such risks.

Dog and cat owners should shoulder much of the burden of animal control costs; furthermore, irresponsible dog and cat owners should be assessed the largest part of that burden.

Public officials, police departments, public health officers, and the citizens they serve in both urban and rural areas all benefit from a comprehensive animal care and control program that reduces costs while it eliminates many other problems.

General public funds need to be allotted to finance the program as necessary. The total program can be partially self-funded, however, if revenues from the following sources are set aside for this purpose:

Income from pet registration (license) and permit fees;
Impoundment fees charged to persons whose animals have been picked up;
Boarding and redemption fees charged to owners who recover their pets;
Citation fines;
Fees from the quarantine of animals;
Adoption fees; and
Private donations to the local government earmarked for the animal shelter.

As put forth in:
Animal Control Management
A GUIDE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Published by:
International City/County Management Association
ICMA - 2002

Possible Partial Answer for Animals?

Coming to a neighborhood near you, soon. At least in my mind, that's the plan.

The Patricia Trethaway Memorial Charitable Trust
(A 501(c) 3 Non-Profit Corporation)
The Ultimate Goal of Elimination of the Need to Euphemize Healthy, Surplus and Unwanted Animals.

and

Savannah/Hardin County Metro Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals, Inc.
(A 501(c) 3 Non-Profit Corporation)
A Full Service Regional Provider of Humane Animal Programs and Facility.

Now all we have to do is partner with the citizens and local government. If they won't do their part, it's going to make our part more difficult, but not impossible.

Ted

Rabies/Animal Control - Hardin County

Rabies Is a Serious Public Health Problem!
Rabies Is Fatal!
Got It?

If you think we have a rabies/animal control program in Hardin County, you could be dead wrong. That’s a fact, Jack.

So, who is responsible, you say. Glad you ask.

The vast majority of the Citizens of Hardin County are not holding up their end or doing their part and you can bet that our county government, including the Hardin County Health Department, are not doing their part.

That’s just wrong, but then again there has been no one able to make either one of them understand what their respective part was. Thought I would give it a shot.

Less than 5,000 animals in Hardin County have current vaccinations and that can be tracked primarily to the efforts of the privately funded spade and neutering programs, primarily by the Horse Creek Wild Life folks. Thank you, very much.

We don’t have animal/rabies control and your local legislative body, that would be the Mayor/County Commission, of course, gives out lip service about we can’t afford it or we got something else to pay for first. That’s just wrong, too. One needs to cover the costs safety and welfare of the community, whatever that cost may be, before one spends a lot of our resources on inviting others to come visit us.

We (Hardin County) make no contribution to an effective local, state or national rabies-control program. We make no effort to prevent or eliminate exposures to rabid animals.

The standard of procedures among jurisdictions that contribute to an effect national rabies-control program states as a CRITICAL component, that local governments should initiate and maintain effective programs to ensure vaccination of all dogs, cats, and ferrets and to remove strays and unwanted animals from the community.

This latest version of the standard procedures is known as Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2007 and is published by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. (NASPHV). As a note, a compendium is a concise yet comprehensive compilation of a body of knowledge.

This compendium, the accepted authority on rabies prevention and animal control, also points out that such procedures in the United States have reduced laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies in dogs from about 7,000 in 1947 to 94 in 2004.

Rabies prevention activities at the state and local levels, although not in Hardin County, have been aimed at reducing exposure to rabies-infected animals and insuring proper treatment when exposure occurs.

There are six (6) designated critical components of these activities for human rabies prevention and they are as follows:

1.) Enhanced Public Health Education;

2.) Domestic Animal Vaccination;

3.) Responsible Pet Ownership;

4.) Rapid, Accurate Laboratory Testing;

5.) Modern Stray Animal Control; and

6.) Timely and Appropriate Prophylaxis.

Well, let’s see, how does Hardin County compare? Glad you ask.

We have no stray animal control, let alone modern, for all practical purposes we have no effective domestic animal vaccination effort and enhanced would hardly describe the public health education efforts in Hardin County. Responsible pet ownership does not apply or even seem to be a concern to the majority, but then again, what is it? Glad you ask.

This accepted authority’s standards are that to be a responsible pet owner, one must do four basic things:

1.) Keep vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs, cats and ferrets. This requirement is important not only to keep your pets from getting rabies, but also to provide a barrier of protection to you, if your animal is bitten by a rabid wild animal.

2.) Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals.

3.) Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.

4.) Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.

Well, let’s see. With less than an estimated 15% - 20% of the known domestic animals legally vaccinated, that one is not working very well at all. It's the DUTY of pet owners and caretakers to have their animals vacinatted. That's the law in Tennessee, even in Hardin County.

You may not have known it, but, under direct supervision is another way of saying ‘leash law’ and yes we do have one of those in the State of Tennessee, which of course includes Hardin County. But then again, who knew?

Not being able to call your local animal control agency, because it’s not a secret that we don’t have one, probably shouldn’t be counted against the Hardin County citizens on this score card, but not standing up and demanding one, probable should be.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration.

Uncle Ted

Be Responsible Pet Owners, Yah, Right!!

LET THE PEOPLE HAVE THE TRUTH
AND THE FREEDOM TO DISCUSS IT
AND ALL WILL BE WELL

Rabies prevention activities at the state and local levels have been aimed at reducing exposure to rabies-infected animals and insuring proper treatment when exposure occurs. For example, in some states, like Tennessee, vaccination requirements for both dogs and cats have been statutorily mandated.

Health departments, in collaboration with veterinary associations and animal-control and animal-welfare groups, have provided educational materials to the public about wildlife rabies, pet vaccination, and recognition of exposures to potentially rabid animals. Education efforts have targeted veterinarians and physicians because they often are the first to be informed of possible rabies exposures.

State public health departments, state and local governments, CDC, and other federal agencies are collaborating to develop programs to control rabies outbreaks and the movement of the virus in the wild. Information about rabies is available from state and local health departments and from CDC’’s Viral and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases; telephone (404) 639-1075.

Human Rabies Prevention: Critical Components

•Enhanced public health education
•Domestic animal vaccination
•Responsible pet ownership
•Rapid, accurate laboratory testing
•Modern stray animal control
•Timely and appropriate prophylaxis

Domestic Animals. Local governments should initiate and maintain effective programs to ensure vaccination of all dogs, cats, and ferrets and to remove strays and unwanted animals. Such procedures in the United States have reduced laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies in dogs from 6,949 in 1947 to 117 in 2003.

What the Citizens Are Told to Do to Help Prevent the Spread of Rabies? Be a Responsible Pet Owner:

Keep vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs, cats and ferrets. This requirement is important not only to keep your pets from getting rabies, but also to provide a barrier of protection to you, if your animal is
bitten by a rabid wild animal.

Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.

Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease.

Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.

Note: [From the most recent Compendium of Animal Rabies Vaccines published by the Association of State Public Health Veterinarians that is used as the guideline, by public health officials. Compendium (2006)]

Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets. All dogs, cats, and ferrets should be [and shall be, in Tennessee] vaccinated against rabies and re-vaccinated in accordance with Part III of this compendium. If a previously vaccinated animal is overdue for a booster, it should be re-vaccinated. Immediately following the booster, the animal is considered currently vaccinated and should be placed on an annual or triennial schedule depending on the type of vaccine used.

Stray Animals. Stray dogs, cats, and ferrets should be removed from the community. Local health departments and animal control officials can enforce the removal of strays more effectively if owned animals have identification and are confined or kept on leash. Strays should be impounded for at least 3 business days to determine if human exposure has occurred and to give owners sufficient time to reclaim animals.

Adjunct Procedures. - Methods or procedures which enhance rabies control include the following:

a. Identification. Dogs, cats, and ferrets should be identified (e.g., metal or plastic tags or microchips) to allow for verification of rabies vaccination status.

b. Licensure. Registration or licensing of all dogs, cats, and ferrets may be used to aid in rabies control. A fee is frequently charged for such licensing, and revenues collected are used to
maintain rabies- or animal-control programs. Evidence of current vaccination is an essential prerequisite to licensing.

c. Canvassing. House-to-house canvassing by animal control officials facilitates enforcement of vaccination and licensing requirements.

d. Citations. Citations are legal summonses issued to owners for violations, including the failure to vaccinate or license their animals. The authority for officers to issue citations should be an integral part of each animal-control program.

e. Animal Control. All communities should incorporate stray animal control, leash laws, and training of personnel in their programs.

Post Exposure Management. Any animal potentially exposed to rabies virus by a wild, carnivorous mammal or a bat that is not available for testing should be regarded as having been exposed to rabies.

a. Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets. - Unvaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets exposed to a rabid animal should be euthanized immediately.

Exposed to a Rabid Animal? - What are the odds or potential that some of the stray, mostly unvaccinated, dogs and cats in Hardin County have been exposed to a wild, carnivorous mammal or bat, that has, or has been exposed to, one of the several types of rabies viruses, known to be in the neighborhood?

Hardin County deserves the enhanced rabies control program, because of our geographical location relative to the movement of rabies in our wildlife around and in the region. This is not something that should be ignored, for any reason.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration.

Uncle Ted